Pakistan Accuses India Of More Cease-Fire Violations

Pakistan has accused India of what it calls a series of "unprovoked cease-fire violations" in the disputed Kashmir region, days after violence killed at least five people on both sides of the border.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Indian troops opened fire on July 18 in the Poonch sector of the Line of Control, the region's de facto border, using "small arms, rockets, mortars, and heavy machine gun fire."

The statement, issued late on July 18, didn't mention any casualties.

India insists the clash was initiated by Pakistan.

Troops on both sides have repeatedly exchanged gunfire and mortar shells in recent days.

On July 16, four civilians were killed in artillery fire that struck Pakistani villages near the eastern city of Sialkot. Islamabad blamed Indian troops for the incident.

India, meanwhile, blamed Pakistan for shooting at an Indian border post and for firing mortar shells that landed in a border village on July 15, killing one woman and wounding four people.

India and Pakistan have fought two wars since 1947 over their competing claims to the Himalayan region.